


When you look in the mirror

by alejandrathemexican, StefWrites



Series: RIPTIDE [4]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-08-24 19:22:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16646192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alejandrathemexican/pseuds/alejandrathemexican, https://archiveofourown.org/users/StefWrites/pseuds/StefWrites
Summary: Inspired by Moira by StefWrites and Riptide by alejandrathemexican.What would happen if both Hiccups got trapped in a room together?





	1. When Henry met Henrik

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!! Stef and I were chatting and suddenly one of us (I don't remember who) said: can you imagine what would happen if Henry (Moira!Hiccup) and Henrik (Riptide!Hiccup) met?  
> and suddenly it turned into this!  
> So obviously we decided to be fair and include Astrid into this, so that will be chapter number 2, so if you like this, stay tuned for that!.  
> Also for those who might be surprised by this, you all had the chance to be warned but y'all chose to ignore it! Stef posted a video where she accidentally had left the tab as she recorded and it was reblogged on tumblr so much! but nobody noticed thank god.  
> But anyway! please enjoy, and if you like this, make sure to tell us by writing down a comment at the end!  
> Also I'm very curious! can you tell which parts were written by Stef and which parts were written by me? I think it's pretty seamless all around, but what do you think?

Hiccup (otherwise known as Henrik) was pretty sure of a couple of things.

Number one: He was pretty sure the date was June 22nd.

Number two: He was pretty sure he’d gone to sleep after… well, after some very nice moments with one awesome girl.

Blinking the sleep from his eyes and groaning, he could tell he’d rolled out of his spot at some point. Maybe he’d sleep-walked somewhere else?

But that was weird… he couldn’t feel the longhouse’s hardwood floors.

He stretched his arms, then rubbed at his face, and had to squint until his eyes got used to the bright white of his surroundings, finally focusing and finding he was sitting in front of a mirror on the floor.

Except this was the weirdest mirror. When Henrik waved, his image didn’t wave back.

  
  


Hiccup (those who didn’t know his nickname called him Henry) groaned as a bright light woke him up. He was pretty sure he’d just fallen asleep so there was no way it was already morning. 

He rubbed his eyes trying to rid them of sleep and had to squint until they adjusted to the sudden brightness. 

He tilted his head in confusion when he realized he was no longer in his room but sitting in front of a mirror. 

Except the image in the mirror waved and both of Henry’s arms were still down by his sides. 

But even without his contacts in, he could tell the image  _ looked _ just like him and was sporting the same puzzled expression. 

 

“I must be dreaming,” Henrik spoke quietly, thinking mostly to himself about which of the Thorston twins he had to blame as his eyes took in his mirror image, but it was still loud enough for Henry to hear. 

 

Henry gasped when he heard his own nasal voice come out of the person that was him, but also  _ wasn’t _ . The whole thing was messed up. The other him’s voice had a bit of an accent that he could recognize as something vaguely European, but it was similar enough that he could understand his other self’s words. Similar enough to send a chill down Henry’s spine and make him  _ shiver. _

 

Not able to take the heavy silence any longer, Henry groaned and spoke, “Gah,  _ who _ are you... _ what _ are you?!” 

 

Henrik jumped slightly, also taken back by the almost identical voice, and letting out a curse in something that sounded like German… or… something. _ ‘I must be dreaming. This can’t be real, _ ’ Henrik thought to himself. “What are  _ you _ ? Are you a vardøger, or a doppelgänger?” he demanded from the other creature. He liked to say he didn’t believe in draugrs, trolls, doppelgängers and other apparitions; that he was above such backward ideas, but he couldn’t help the trickle of fear firing off into his bloodstream. He was enough of a Berkian that he had to be. “I’m…” he swallowed, “I’m not afraid of you.”

 

“I don’t… know why you’d be?” Henry stared in confusion at the guy that looked like him. Vardøger? What the hell was that? And so for the first time in his life, the fact that he didn’t understand something calmed him down instead of upset him. They couldn’t possibly be the same person. “What’s your name?”

 

“Hiccup.” Henrik replied, but added to that when he saw the look of horror cross the other boys face, “But you can call me Henrik if that’s too strange...” 

 

Henry ran his hands through his hair, “This has got to be the freakiest dream I’ve ever had.” 

 

Noticing the way he was so alarmed by his name, Henrik swallowed the nervous lump in his throat and cautiously asked, “What is  _ your _ name?”

 

Henry let out a nervous chuckle and placed his hand behind his head sheepishly as he looked down at his feet, “Well...the thing is...my name is technically Henry,” he looked up at Henrik, “But I go by Hiccup.”

 

Both pairs of green eyes grew wide at the realization and knew they had to find a way out of this bright room as soon as possible. There had to be a way out, a secret passage, some kind of hidden door,  _ anything _ to get them out of the situation they were currently faced with. 

 

_ ‘His name is Hiccup. There’s just no way that’s a coincidence,’ _ Henry thought as he glided his hand across the smooth white wall, feeling for a handle or button or  _ something _ , “What is this? The Truman Show?” Henry muttered to himself, but loud enough for Henrik to hear. 

 

“I don't… I don't know what that is,” said Henrik, his voice uncertain. More of a question than an affirmation. He followed Henry and attempted to help him find any clue.  _ ‘Hiccup,’ _ he reminded himself. It was so weird.  _ Too _ weird. “Is this an experiment of some sort? Maybe it's a government study?”

 

Henry snorted, stopping his search and looking back at Henrik. “You mean like studies with twins and that psychological stuff?”

 

“I mean why not?”

 

“I know  _ for a fact _ that I’m an only child. I wouldn’t be in such a mess if I wasn’t.”

 

Henrik shrugged, “Maybe this is all the illuminati.”

 

Henry and Henrik stared at each other in silence for a moment before they both burst out laughing.

 

“The illuminati? Seriously!” hooted Henry. “Are you for real?”

 

Henrik couldn’t speak, he was doubled over in laughter. He was so distracted he tripped over his own foot and fell on the floor. There was a metal clang as his left calf hit the marble-like surface.

Both boys’ laughter was killed stone-dead with the sound, and Henrik hoped Henry hadn’t noticed.

 

But notice he had. "Your leg." Henry pointed out, a bit of shock in his tone.

 

“Yes?” winced Henrik, but saw the genuine curiosity in Henry’s eyes, and well… he was not very resilient against it. The pulling up the leg of his pant leg revealed more and more shiny metal, made to replace a left leg and foot from below the knee.

 

_ ‘If this wasn't weird five minutes ago, it definitely  _ **_is_ ** _ weird  _ **_now_ ** _ ,’  _ thought Henry. 

 

Henrik, on the other side was silently hoping that the other boy wouldn't ask him about how his leg got that way. He sat there, not looking at the other boy, but felt him staring. He waited for the horrified gasp. The empty condolences over a leg he didn’t even remember having anymore.

 

Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw Henry lift his pant leg. And instead of seeing a perfectly healthy leg underneath, Henrik saw metal. 

 

Shiny metal.

 

Made to replace a left leg and foot from below the knee.

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah.” Henry released his pant leg, sighed, and sat down on the cold hard floor across from Henrik, “So, if we aren’t the  _ same _ person…”

 

“And not one another’s long lost twin…” Henrik added. 

 

“Then maybe we should compare data. You know, see if our lives have any of the same similarities to how we look.” 

 

Henrik snorted, still in disbelief over how he was sitting here across from someone who shared his name and shared his appearance, but who also wasn’t him at the same time, “I like that idea.” 

 

“So...what’s your name? Your full name...wait, did I already ask you that?” Henry ran his hands through his hair, “I already asked you that, duh. Henrik, right? What is that...is that German or something?” 

 

“Scandinavian, actually. But if that is too similar than you can call me Hiccup. That’s my name in Berk.” 

 

“Oh, so you’re from Berk?”

 

Henrik tilted his head slightly, he was surprised, “Do you know Berk? Because most people don’t with it being the tiniest island off the coast of Scotland.”

 

“Well, that isn’t the Berk I know. The Berk I know is a  _ really _ small country between France and Germany.” Henry explained. 

 

A corner of Henrik’s mouth turned up, “We clearly live in different worlds then.” 

 

Henry’s brows drew together, “Like in different universes? Or different planets?”

 

Henrik shook his head, “No, no. Have you seen the spiderman movies?”

 

“Which ones?”

 

Henrik nodded once and pointed his finger towards Henry, “Exactly.”

 

“Ah! I see your point.” Henry’s mouth slowly curved up into a smile that matched Henrik’s. Both sat there for a moment looking at one another with identical expressions. 

 

“Well, you got the ‘really small’ part right,” said Henrik, scratching the back of his neck. “What’re… I mean, what else is different?”

 

“Or the same?” said Henry, one eyebrow raised. “Um… what’s…? My mom’s name is Valka. You?”

 

Henrik nodded, not quite knowing what to say.

 

“What? It’s the same for you?”

 

“Well, Mum’s got another name, too, but I never call her that. Your dad?”

 

Henry sniggered, mostly just at the word  _ dad _ , which his father was still very far from being, “Stoick. You?” 

 

Henrik nodded again, “The same.” 

 

“Large man?” Henry asked, an amused smirk spread across his face. 

 

Henrik pointed at his hair, “With fiery red hair and a beard?” 

 

“And an even fiery attitude?” 

 

Henrik looked down at his hands and chuckled softly, “That’s him.” 

 

“Well...hopefully the relationship with  _ your _ father is better than mine.” 

 

Henrik looked up, Henry’s annoyed tone intriguing him, “You could say that my dad likes to try and keep me...focused.” He said slowly, not feeling fully comfortable revealing  _ all _ of the issues him and his father had.

 

“Focused on what’s important to him rather than what’s important to you.” Henry added. 

 

“And there are those times when he talks to you like he’s interested, but he just looks at you like he wishes you were just a bit...taller.” 

 

Henry laughed, “And maybe a little more outgoing.” 

 

“Exactly.” Henrik nodded. 

 

“And what drives me crazy is that Stoick wasn’t even in my life until recently and for some reason, I still hate how it feels when I know I’ve disappointed him.” Henry sighed and ran fingers through his hair, frustrated. 

 

Henrik cocked his head to the side, looking at Henry curiously, “You grew up without your dad around?”

 

Henry shrugged, “Yeah, but I had my mom.” 

 

“What was that like?”

 

“What?”

 

“Growing up with your mum?” 

 

Henry smiled as he thought about his sweet and gentle mother, “Pretty great.” 

 

“Huh…” Henrik trailed off, thoughts running rampant. 

 

“What is it?” Henry asked.

 

Henrik shook his head, “No...it’s nothing. I just...I’ve just always wondered what that would be like.”  

 

A heavy silence hung over them like a cloud as both sat there with similar glum expressions and neither one not knowing what to say. 

 

“It was… good,” started Henry. “More than good. Mom… she taught me everything I know about horses.”

 

Henrik’s eyes thoughts seemed to be somewhere else, trying to see that different universe as Henry told him about their ranch back in Georgia, of riding on horseback, and hanging out with his friend Will.

 

“It sounds nice,” whispered Henrik, once there was a lull in the conversation. “I wonder if my mum had stayed... I wonder if it would’ve been like that.”

 

Henry shuffled awkwardly. “Oh,” he said, not daring to prod further.

 

“Sorry,” said Henrik, a choked laugh bursting from him. “I suppose this is not… this must be a new idea for you.”

 

“Are you kidding? This whole thing,” said Henry gesturing to the room around them, “this whole thing is a new idea! Just trying to focus on a single thing at once here, or my head will explode.”

 

“That’s fair enough,” admitted Henrik, who felt quite the same. “Look, it’s just… I’m not particularly happy with Mum. I don’t think I’ve told you, but she left us.”

 

Henry frowned, thinking of his mom, thinking how long it had been since he’d seen her. “Left? I… my mom would never do something like that. I mean, she did leave my father but...”

 

“Well, maybe your mom mightn’t have, but mine did.” he couldn’t help the bitterness bathing his voice. He frowned, looking at Henry’s helpless face. His own face. “Look, I’m sorry. It’s just… I used to think she would come back. Dad was so convinced, but when she didn’t come when this-” he gestured to his metal leg, “-happened and then she wasn’t there for any of it, I just… knew.”

 

“No,” said Henry, shaking his head. “That’s not my mom. She’s not like that.”

 

“Because clearly I was saying that  _ your _ mum is my mum.”

 

Henry watched Henrik wearily. “Well, good to know my gloomy sarcasm is something that never changes.”

 

Strangely, this made Henrik smile, though the smile itself was feeble. “Good to know it was a thing in the first place. Wouldn’t be me without it.”

 

“Not really,” said Henry, smirking.

 

They stayed in silence for a while, both lost in their thoughts; so in sync that they didn’t notice. At least until Henry spoke again.

 

“How did you lose your leg?”

 

“Why do you want to know?”

 

“I… you don’t have to tell me; I just want to compare if it was the same way,” shrugged Henry.

 

Henrik thought about it, before saying simply: “I lost it while trying to save a friend.”

 

Henry perked up, grinning immediately. “Toothless!”

 

“No,” said Henrik, frowning, “no. What’s my dog got to do with it? No. I was trying to save a friend. A human friend.”

 

They settled into uncomfortable silence, Henrik squirming, and Henry thought… no. He knew if he was in the same situation he wouldn’t like to say more to someone he’d just met.

 

“Wait, did you just say your dog's name is Toothless?” Henry waited to continue until he saw Henrik nod, “I have a horse named Toothless!” 

 

“You ride?” Henrik asked him, thankful for the change in subject. 

 

“Have since I was a kid. I grew up on a ranch so I was always around horses. Didn’t get Toothless until I was about fifteen though… and he's… I love him. That's how...” he reached to knock on his metal leg, wincing when it didn't make the sound he expected. “You know,” he hinted at Henrik, gesturing at the leg instead of continuing.

 

Henrik’s eyes widened at this news, “Did he...bite it off?” he asked, shocked. 

 

Henry chuckled, “No...no, I went to save him after a fire started in the stables, a plank from the ceiling fell on my leg, and well...long story short, Toothless saved my life.”

 

“So… he dragged you out?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“So… that's how he lost a tooth and you lost a foot?”

 

“He lost a couple of teeth, but yeah...pretty much. And I see what you did there… nice.”

 

Henrik grinned, quite proud of himself. “You know? My horse's name is Natt Fury. He's the fastest horse in Berk.”

 

“Your Berk, yeah” bragged Henry. “How long have you had him?”

 

“He's two, almost three. He'll have to retire from the races, soon anyway, now that I think about it...”

 

Henry perked up, interrupting Henrik. “Races? I love racing!”

 

“Yeah,” Henrik grimaced, “I used to love it too.”

 

“Are you kidding?” when riding, Henry was at his freest. The most himself.

 

Henrik shrugged. “I don’t know. Riding is awesome, but I’ve been Berk’s champion since I started competing. At some point, it feels repetitive, you know? And nothing I do seems to change it.”

 

“Like you’re stuck,” said Henry, and his jaw was lead-like when he spoke. “Well, at least you’re stuck in a good place.”

 

Henrik shrugged, “So, the Berk  _ you _ live in isn’t a good place?”

 

“No, it is...well...I don’t know. I haven’t exactly lived there long enough to have a decent opinion quite yet.” 

 

This new information surprised Henrik, “Oh? You’re not from Berk?”

 

Henry shook his head, “America, actually. My dad’s from Berk. I just moved there about two months ago after he shows up to my house after, get this,  _ twenty-one years _ , saying he’s the King and I’m the,” he deepens his voice, trying to imitate his father, “ _ rightful heir _ .” 

 

“That must make you the-”

 

“Prince, yeah.” Henry sighed, thinking about just how that still sounded so foreign to him, even after two months. 

 

“So you hate it?” said Henrik, his curiosity deflating. 

 

“What?” jumped Henry, his eyes widening, “no, no, no, that’s not it,” he said, waving his hands wildly, and gesturing with each word, “it’s just that… and the… and just with everything… you get it.”

 

Henrik frowned, “I think… I do?”

 

“Yeah,” said Henry, wiping his hands on his jeans and gulping down. “So… yeah…”

 

Both men sighed at the same time, lost in thoughts.

 

“This may be a bit of a random question,” started Henrik, breaking the deep silence, “but have you ever thought about what kind of person you’d be in a different...world?”. 

 

Henry’s green eyes lit up, “All the time! I used to wonder who I’d be if I’d been born in a different time or even a different country. How different would I be to the person I am today?”

 

“Would I be a better person?” Henrik added. 

 

“A worse person?” 

 

Henrik nodded, “I used to think about that all the time and wondered if maybe I’d just been born in the wrong time or the wrong universe, especially at times when I felt like nothing was ever going right in my life.” 

 

“Yeah...exactly…” Henry trailed off. 

 

“I used to talk about this to someone back on Berk. Her name is Sigrid,” Henrik smiled fondy as he said her name, “She used to tell me that there's no use wondering who you wish you could be, because that person doesn't exist. There's only you and who you want to be."

 

“That’s...actually really great advice,” Henry but his lip, wondering if he should ask the question sitting on the very tip of his tongue. He was too curious, he had to know, “Sigrid? That your girlfriend?” 

 

Henrik’s eyes grew wide, shocked by the question, but then he burst into laughter, “No, no! Oh my gods, never. She’s like the mum…” he trailed off awkwardly before recovering. “Well, she’s just very no-nonsense; both feet planted on the ground firmly.”

 

Henry chuckled, “She’d probably be shocked by this current situation then.” 

 

“Oh, yes. She most definitely would be…” Henrik trailed off, “But that advice has always really helped me feel more confident. Especially these last couple of weeks around Astrid-”

 

Henry held up his hand, stopping Henrik mid-sentence, “Woah, hold up.  _ Astrid _ ? Astrid who?”

 

Henrik looked down at his hands resting in his lap as he felt a small blush rise to his freckled cheeks, “She’s a girl...that I...like....” he spoke shyly. 

 

“Hofferson? Astrid  _ Hofferson _ ?” Henry asked him, tone full of disbelief. 

 

“Yeah...you know her?” Henrik asked, raising his eyebrows.

 

Henry nodded slowly, “Yeah...there’s an Astrid back on Berk. I...I sorta like her too,” he began to smile as she made her way into his thoughts, “Blue eyes prettier than the sky?” 

 

“Soft blonde hair that lights up in the sun?” Henrik added softly like he was in a daydream.

 

“Stubborn like a mule?”

 

“So out of your league that when she kisses you, you feel like if you died right then and there you’d die as the happiest man on Earth?” 

 

“Exactly,” Henry started, before his eyes widened, “you’ve  _ kissed _ her?!” Henry all but shouted, startling Henrik who was drifting away as he remembered the night on the docks.   

 

Henrik rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, his cheeks as bright and red as a tomato, “Yeah...we’ve kissed...a couple of times.”

 

Henry felt as if his mouth was going to hit the floor it was open so wide, “A couple of...what was that  _ like _ ?” 

 

Henrik smiled so brightly he revealed the gap in between his two front teeth, identical to Henry’s, “Honestly? I’ve never been too good at describing my emotions but even if I was, I don’t think I could.”

 

“Yeah...I bet.”

 

“But now...every time I look at her all I can think about is how it felt to kiss her, to hold her, and have her so close to me...” Henrik trailed off, realizing he’d already said so much. “Anyway, you get it, right?”

 

Henry realized he almost knew what that felt like. He remembered the way his palms started to sweat and the way his heart was beating so quickly it was the only sound he heard as she leaned over the table, her flushed face inching closer and closer to his. He still wondered what it would’ve felt like if they hadn’t been interrupted. 

 

He looked back up at Henrik then, the person who knew  _ exactly _ what it felt like. He suddenly felt...proud of the other man sitting across from him. He wondered if it’d be weird to congratulate him. He stuck out his fist anyway, “That’s...good job, dude.” 

 

Henrik felt flattered. He suddenly found himself sitting up straighter as he reached his fist out to press it to Henry’s, “Thanks, mate.” 

 

After a brief silence, in which they were  _ not  _ thinking of pretty blonde girls at all, Henry cleared his throat. “So, how did you… how did you..  _ You know _ … do it?”

 

Henrik’s freckled cheeks turned pink, “Oh, that. Well… actually I didn't, she just… mauled my only other foot, and held me up against a pillar,” he said, like it was commonplace occurrence. “So actually, she did it first.”

 

Henry stared at him blankly. “I'd like my high five back, please?”

 

“Whatever, Mr. ‘I Just Keep Failing to Kiss the Girl’,” chuckled Henrik.

 

“That’s a long name,” deadpanned Henry, “and it’s not like I’ve tried, so I can’t exactly fail, can I?”

 

“That’s fair. But honestly, I wish i'd done it sooner,” admitted Henrik. “Astrid… She's... amazing.”

 

“Yeah… She really  _ is _ something.”

 

They dazed off into memories of blue-sky eyes, before Henry laughed 

“Can you imagine what she'd do if she was in a situation like this?”

 

“She'd freak out! Definitely would try to maul the other her,” said Henrik, the dreamy grin on his face not matching his violent words.

 

“Yep,” chuckled Henry. “Sounds like Astrid!”


	2. When Lady Astrid met Astrid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!! here is the Astrid chapter!! one thing we do have to note though is that this chapter takes place after the events of Chapter 18 of Moira and Chapter 20 of Riptide, so spoiler alert!  
> It's probably a bit too late for a spoiler alert but well...  
> Please do enjoy!

Astrid Hofferson was sitting in the middle of a bright white room, legs criss-crossed in front of her and admiring just how much this girl sitting across from her looked just  _ like _ her. She was trying to find something in her features that wasn’t hers, but coming up empty. 

 

Blue eyes? Check! 

 

Long blonde hair weaved into a tight braid and hanging down her back? She had it. 

 

Large ears that didn’t quite match the rest of her tiny features? Yeah, she had those too. 

 

It was  _ all _ there and she wasn’t freaked,  _ no _ , she was...intrigued. 

 

Lady Astrid Hofferson sat on the cold white floor with her legs tucked up in front of her and her chin resting on her knees as she stared at either her long lost twin or a clone...Or maybe this girl was just her dopplegänger? It wasn’t impossible. She’d heard stories of people just randomly running into someone who looks just like them even down to their nose shape. 

 

But then again, she wasn’t currently walking down the street or strolling through the grocery store. Actually, she wasn’t sure  _ where _ she was. The last thing she remembered was Hiccup walking her to her room after their emotional night in the cove…

 

Lady Astrid shook those thoughts from her head before they went to a place she didn’t feel like going at the moment. 

 

Not when her dopplegänger, or  _ whoever _ , was sitting right in front of her with the same intrigued look in her identical blue eyes. 

 

Guess there was only one way to find out who this person  _ really _ was, “What’s your name?” She asked bluntly but politely. 

 

Astrid furrowed her brows at the similar voice, but there was something a little different? A bit of of an accent maybe?

 

“Astrid Hofferson.” She replied casually, tucking a strand of hair that had come loose from her braid behind her ear. 

 

Lady Astrid coughed, almost choking on her own saliva, “You’re who?  _ What _ ?” She asked, eyes widening and mouth falling open so far she thought it’d hit the floor. 

 

Astrid was used to these reactions, people recognizing her or her name would suddenly become shocked or nervous when they realized they were standing right in front of a celebrity, “I’m assuming you’ve heard of me then?” 

 

“Well...yeah, of course I have but only because that’s  _ my _ name too.” Lady Astrid spoke, placing her hand over her chest. 

 

And if Astrid hadn’t been so taken back by this strange turn of events then she would’ve felt a little disappointed that she hadn’t heard of her before. But that didn’t bother her in the slightest because what were the odds that someone who looked just like you also had your same exact name? 

 

She didn’t think those odds even existed. 

 

“You’re joking, right?” Astrid asked, eyebrows raised and eyes three times bigger than normal. 

 

Lady Astrid shook her head, “If I had been joking do you think I’d look just as stunned as you right now?” 

 

Astrid began absentmindedly fidgeting with the new necklace hanging from her neck. She had a point there, she did look pretty freaked out too. And she had no idea where the hell she was so there was definitely something weird going on around here, “We may have the same name and look a hell of a lot like one another, but there’s no way we’re the same person, right?”

 

Lady Astrid agreed with her. She was definitely American, she could tell instantly by the way she spoke. But still...this all seemed too weird, almost like a very vivid dream. 

 

“Guess there’s really only one way to find out,” Lady Astrid spoke, she brought her knees down, crossed her legs and leaned back on her palms, “Where are you from?”

 

“I was born in New Jersey but live in New York now.”

 

_ Well, I will be there again soon _ , Astrid added silently. She didn’t notice how a spark faded in her blue eyes. She also tried to ignore how that information tugged on her heartstrings a little.

 

Lady Astrid breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the first difference between the two, “I’ve always wanted to go to New York. It seems like quite the exciting place.” 

 

“They don’t call it the city that never sleeps for nothing,” Astrid snickered, “If you ever make it to NYC then look me up. I live in the upper East Side, near Central Park.” 

 

Lady Astrid chuckled, “Sure will.” 

 

“Where are you from? Obviously not from the states.”

 

“No, not from the states,” Lady Astrid shook her head, “I’m from this small country, Berk. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of it…” she trailed off as she watched the color drain from Astrid’s face like she had suddenly seen a ghost.

 

“Berk? Like a small sheltered country off the coast of Scotland?  _ That _ Berk?” 

 

Suddenly, Lady Astrid felt the color from her face begin to drain as well, “No...the Berk where I live is the tiniest country between France and Germany. You almost have to squint to see it on the map,” she explained, “Are you sure you got the name of that island right?”

 

Astrid’s fist tightened around the necklace Hiccup had given her. “Pretty sure I’d know the name of the place both my parents were born  _ and _ the place I’m currently spending the summer.” 

 

Lady Astrid blinked at her, hands folded carefully. “Right. This doesn’t make any sense. Obviously we’re talking about different places. And your name is Astrid Hofferson, and so is mine.”

 

Astrid nodded, motioning her to get to the point.

 

“If you know, for a fact-”

 

“I can show you on my phone,” interrupted Astrid, searching her coat, but couldn’t find her phone anywhere. “That’s funny,” she frowned, “I always have it with me.”

 

“Nevermind the phone, clearly you and I are different, but the same. I mean, all you have to do is look at me. Isn’t it a bit like...” Lady Astrid gestured between them.

 

“Yeah, I guess,” murmured Astrid. “Like a twin. Or looking in the mirror.”

 

“And I know there isn’t two Berks, so there can’t be two Astrid Hoffersons.” Lady Astrid bit her lip, thinking. “What do you figure is going on?”

 

Astrid’s thumb ran over the grooves in her locket. “Well, I don’t think there’s a way we can actually figure that out, is there? Like, really think about it, we’re just… here. What good does it even do? I’m Astrid,  _ you’re _ Astrid-”

 

“I’m  _ Lady _ Astrid.”

 

“Lady Astrid. Right. Okay.” Astrid paused, “do I have to… bow?”

 

She waved her off nonchalantly, “No, no. That’s fine.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“My point is- and normally you’d  _ have _ to bow, but it’s okay,” Lady Astrid added quickly, “My point is, we clearly come from different worlds.”

 

“Right. And in your world you’re -what, a duchess?-”

 

Lady Astrid’s brow furrowed, “no. A countess. - Titles are complicated,” she added apologetically at Astrid’s confused frown.

 

“Well, you’re not wrong,” agreed Astrid. “How do you even learn them?”

 

A sigh was torn from Lady Astrid’s lungs, along with memories of tutors and missed afternoons. “Lessons. Since I was little. You’re bound to learn a thing or two if you spend hours reviewing them. I could even tell you what my great-grandfather’s title was and the highlights of his life.”

 

“That sucks. I know what it’s like. I really do!” she protested at Lady Astrid’s skeptical look, “I’m… well, I’m not a noble, or anything, but I started modeling when I was twelve, so I know what it’s like to… well, to not have a childhood.”

 

“Since you were  _ twelve _ ?!” burst out Lady Astrid in indignation. “Who made you do that? Was it your father?”

 

“No, not at all! My father, he…” she cleared her throat. How could she explain his death in a safe way? “No. My father passed away when I was seven.” 

 

The sadness quickly gave way to outrage. A memory of a particular argument between her parents. “He  _ never  _ would have approved of it. It was my mother.  _ She _ forced me into it,” anger choked her up, “actually, she still forces me into it. All she wants to do is control my life. She-I hate her.” she shut herself up, unable to handle the intensity of her feelings. “Sorry,” she added for Lady Astrid’s benefit. “I didn’t mean to be…”

 

“No,” Lady Astrid tried for soothing, through her own shock. “I’m sorry I brought it up, it’s just… In my world, my mother left us when I was twelve, and she  _ never  _ would have done that.” She was a little breathless, “instead, it’s my father who can’t live without trying to control my every move.”  _ Even who I want to be with _ , she added to herself.

 

“That sucks,” offered Astrid simply. “It really sucks. But it can’t last forever, right?”

 

“Maybe not,” admitted Lady Astrid, “maybe it won’t last forever, but what they do to us,  _ that _ can. Look at yourself: would you say your life wasn’t affected by how your mother treated you? Would you say this is where you want to be?”

 

Astrid bit her lip, “I guess not,” she conceded. “I don’t think so, no,” she confirmed after some consideration.

 

Lady Astrid nodded. “I myself, if it wasn’t for someone special to me, well, I’d be marrying someone I hate. And that special person himself is marrying someone else on his father’s orders,” she breathed deep, to ease the anguish in her chest, “it’s not so simple, is it?”

 

“No,” admitted Astrid. “It really isn’t,” she said, her hand around her locket. “I’m sorry. About that person and you. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be?” she tried to console Astrid.

 

“It was meant to be,” said Lady Astrid stubbornly. “Me and him. I was meant to meet him. I  _ know _ it.”

 

She knew it the second  _ home _ went from a place...to a person. That person being Hiccup. 

 

Blinking, her hand still around her locket, Astrid lowered her voice, “and he can’t say no to this marrying thing?”

 

Lady Astrid folded her hands carefully, in a gesture Astrid now recognized as defensive. In defense of what, Astrid wasn’t sure. “It’s what the kingdom needs. Or so says  _ his _ father, the King. So technically? Yes. He could say no. But he… he’s more selfless than anyone I’ve ever met. Hiccup is... “ 

 

“Hiccup?” interrupted Astrid. “Hiccup Haddock?”

 

“Yes!” said Lady Astrid, her heart leaping in her chest, “yes, that’s him! How do you…? Is he…?”

 

“One-legged dork with a black horse, too sarcastic for his own good?” said Astrid, trying and failing to not look like a sap as she felt her lips turn up into a wide smile.

 

“Tries to look cool and fails and is all the better for it?” added Lady Astrid, smiling unabashedly.

 

“How about beautiful green eyes and a face splattered with freckles?”

 

“And a small scar under his lips, on his chin, right here,” said Lady Astrid, her thumb hovering over the spot where Hiccup’s scar was.

 

“That’s my man!” said Astrid proudly, her smile unable to keep still and widening.

 

Lady Astrid laughed, “your man! Well, well, I sense a story here!”

 

“Not a story,” said Astrid, trying to look calm and collected, but unable to control the way the corner of her lips and the flush on her cheeks told on her. “He’s a boy. I like him. We’re… a thing.”

 

“A thing?” prodded Lady Astrid.

 

“A  _ really _ good thing.”

 

“It’s bound to be a good thing,” said Lady Astrid, attempting to remain cheerful. “If your Hiccup is anything like mine, then it must be.”

 

Astrid’s smile turned bittersweet. “I haven’t known Hiccup for long, but I feel like I’ve known him forever,” she admitted to Lady Astrid. “So if  _ your _ Hiccup is anything like mine, I’m sorry you can’t be with him.”

 

Lady Astrid gave a listless shrug. “I suppose we’ll have to make do with the time we’ve had,” she said with a brave smile. “If you’re anything like me, though, time will catch up to you,” she warned, “you’d do yourself a favor if you used it well, alright?” she advised, “do  _ not _ take anything for granted.”

 

The looming deadline of Astrid’s return pierced her memory then, and it was now more like a threat than anything else.

 

Her throat dry, she nodded.

 

“When you’re in the moment,” added Lady Astrid, “it feels like time will last forever, but it doesn’t. It really doesn’t.”

 

There was a minute of silence between the two, Lady Astrid thinking about all the moments with Hiccup she took for granted. The laughs and the touches and their talks. How all of that was taken away as quick as the blink of an eye. How she wished she could tell people that her and Hiccup were a  _ thing _ , like Astrid just had. How she wished she could talk about him with the sappiest smile and not feel her heart break within her chest. 

 

Astrid was sitting there, still holding onto her locket, and thinking about her conversation with Heather and just how much  _ this _ current conversation hit home. She was thinking this was the universe’s way of telling her just what she didn’t want to think about. 

 

Lady Astrid noticed how her hand had never left the necklace hanging around her neck, “Your necklace…” she spoke curiously, breaking the heavy thought-filled silence. 

 

Astrid looked down at her long fingers tightly wrapped around it and smiled softly before lifting it up to show her the wooden locket, “Hiccup made it for me.” 

 

“That is  _ exactly _ something Hiccup would do,” she smiled, the light in her grin never reaching her eyes, “It’s beautiful.” 

 

“I love it,” she released it and it gently fell back onto her chest, “You know...it’s weird you mentioned how not to take anything for granted and enjoy the moment and all that...it’s actually something I’ve been worried about.” Astrid admitted, looking away from the other girl’s gaze and down at her fingernails that desperately needed a manicure.

 

“Oh yeah?” 

 

Astrid nodded, “Yeah. It’s because I have to leave Berk at the end of the summer and go back to New York...go back to the spotlight and this fast paced life of mine.” 

 

“So you’re worried because...you’re afraid long-distance won’t work?” Lady Astrid asked her, trying to figure out what  _ exactly _ was eating at her. 

Astrid tilted her head as she thought about that for a moment, “Yes and no. A friend of mine is...skeptical about whether or not Hiccup will be able to handle all of the pressures that comes with dating someone in the spotlight.” 

 

Lady Astrid thought about Hiccup and his first few encounters with the cameras and the press and how he’d ramble and freeze and say really awkward things without even thinking...he’d come quite a long ways since then. Sure, he was still awkward and he still rambled quite often, but he was definitely much better at it then he was back at the beginning of it all. 

 

“I don’t know what  _ your _ Hiccup is like exactly and I’m sure the two are different in many ways, but the Hiccup that  _ I  _ know has had his fair share of his time in the spotlight recently,” Lady Astrid explained and Astrid looked up at her again, intrigued by what she had to say, “He sucked at it at first. I had to help bail him out of things  _ many _ times,” she chuckled, “But he’s gotten a lot better since then. He’s found ways to deal with it in his own ‘Hiccupy’ way.” 

 

“A friend of mine seems to think I should just ‘nip this in the bud’ before things get too serious.” Astrid spoke dejectedly, a cause of her swollen heart. 

 

Lady Astrid sighed heavily, “If there’s one thing I know about Hiccup, it’s that he’ll do just about  _ anything _ for someone he really cares about.” 

 

Astrid smiled warmly at the identical girl across from her and nodded, “I think Heather was just looking out for me, making sure I didn’t get hurt in the end…” she trailed off when she saw Astrid’s brows furrow. 

 

“Did you say Heather?” 

 

“Yeah...wait, you’re telling me there’s a Heather in  _ your _ world too?” 

 

Lady Astrid nodded, “Yeah there  _ is  _ a Heather...” 

 

“You know...this is  _ already _ pretty freaky, but I think if you tell me she’s your best friend too then-”

 

Lady Astrid shook her head, interrupting the other girl, “No, we’re not best friends. She’s...well, I guess as of today she’s Hiccup’s  _ fiancée _ .” She spoke the last word like it was almost difficult for her to say out loud. 

 

“What?!” shouted Astrid, jumping up, “fiancée?”

 

Lady Astrid nodded, attempting to swallow the knot in her throat and failing as she stood up, starting to pace.

It was the first time Astrid had seen her counterpart so visibly rattled. “But… Why Heather? Aren’t you a…”

 

“Countess,” completed Lady Astrid, dismissing, “yes. But she is a  _ princess _ . From a nearby country Berk wants to form an alliance with,” she crossed her arms, “like I tell you, King Stoick thought it was for the best.”

 

“I can’t imagine that,” said Astrid, shaking her head, “not with my Heather.”

 

Lady Astrid stopped pacing, unable to face the other her, with the same blonde hair, the same Hiccup, and, and… the same Heather? “What is she like?”

“Heather?” said Astrid, “she’s… very much like me. She’s competitive, dedicated,” she paused to think. What else would be relevant? “She cares about her brother, who is a very lovable jerk. She’s smart.”

 

“She sounds great,” admitted Lady Astrid reluctantly, interrupting the other Astrid’s love fest for her best friend. “I suppose I never gave myself time to get to know her better.”

 

A thought struck her, that not even Hiccup had given himself time to get to know her better.

What if he did?

What if he did and they got better along?

What if he looked at Heather one day and realized he didn’t regret losing Astrid anymore?

What if one day he took a really good look at her and realized he’d saved himself from a bad one?

That what he’d felt for her hadn’t been real after all?

What if she was the only one left broken hearted?

 

“That was me at first. Me and Heather didn’t get along, but then we solved our differences. She’s easy to love.”

 

‘No, she’s not!’ Lady Astrid wanted to say, but she couldn’t. She might be lying.

The truth is she didn’t actually know. For all she knew,  _ her _ Heather would be easy to love, too.

 

“I ride,” said Lady Astrid. “Do you ride?”

 

“You mean like the bus?”

 

“No, numbnuts!” she giggled.  _ The bus! _ “I mean actual horses!”

 

“Right.”

 

“So, do you?”

 

Astrid shook her head, “I tried to learn once but...it didn’t work out.” 

 

Lady Astrid sat back down across from her counterpart, “You just have to learn to be patient, which was always hard for me growing up. But I would’ve gone crazy if I hadn’t learned that because of all the times my teachers and father told me to,” she sat up straighter and began impersonating her previous teachers, “be still. Sit up straighter.  _ Remember _ , you’re a lady.”

 

“Because of the whole countess thing, right?”

 

“Yeah. It’s always been about what I said and what I looked like, who I was friends with...or  _ wasn’t _ friends with.”  

 

Astrid suddenly felt like she related to this other Astrid now more than ever, “Now,  _ that _ I totally get.”

 

“Guess we aren’t so different after all.” Lady Astrid smiled.

 

“Well, we are practically the same person,” said Astrid, frowning, “with the whole mom and dad thing…”

 

“That’s not exactly true,” disputed Lady Astrid, getting up and starting to pace again, “you and I were raised  _ very _ differently and you probably have a lot more freedom than I do-” 

 

“That  _ may _ be true, but it doesn’t make it any easier,” countered Astrid. “You’re always going to have your status, with the whole,” she gestured at the posher, more royal version of herself, “being a noble thing, but me...well… There’s plenty of other pretty, blonde, skinny girls who want a piece of the cake, and let me tell you,” she emphasized with a look, “they’re not afraid of playing dirty to get their 15 minutes of fame… If I look away for long enough -poof-, it’s all gone.” Astrid sighed. “All they have to do is want it more than you, and then they have it.” 

 

Lady Astrid gave her a searching look. “It sure sounds like you really rely on this,” she raised her hand to stop Astrid as the other girl scowled and opened her mouth to protest, “but it also sounds like you hate it.”

 

Astrid’s jaw snapped shut.

After a moment’s silence, she said in a low voice, “it’s just… it’s been so stressful. I’m going back to New York soon, and I’m not sure what I’m going to do.”

 

“About what exactly?”

 

“I don’t know,” sighed Astrid, and, standing by, Lady Astrid had to notice how similarly the other girl paced. “It’s a lot of things,” the model continued, “my career, my mom, boy that’s going to be a tough one, my… my relationship with Hiccup.”

 

Lady Astrid laughed, “oh. I wish you would stop worrying about him. He’ll be fine, with a little help. You should believe in him more; you’ll see amazing results.”

 

Astrid shook her head, “I guess it’s not him I’m afraid for.”

 

With a bittersweet smile, Lady Astrid placed a comforting hand on Astrid’s shoulder. “I suggest you think about where this  _ thing _ of yours is going,” she stepped back, looking on as Astrid crossed her arms, biting her lip.

 

When Astrid said nothing, giving a feeble shrug and grasping at her necklace, Lady Astrid spoke again. “I’m warning you. There are some things you can't take back.”

 

Astrid felt the grooves on the locket Hiccup had made for her. “I know,” she said to the countess, a tight smile on her closed lips. “I know.”

 

Looking at her other self, Lady Astrid supposed she could feel at least a bit more at peace. 

She hadn’t been wrong about Hiccup.

In some other universe they’d met and had more of a chance.

 

Astrid sighed and looked up into the eyes that matched her own, “I guess we’ll just have to see what the future brings. Right?”

 

Lady Astrid smiled, “right.”


End file.
